Roughly a month after confirming plans to launch its Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Microsoft is sharing key details on their forthcoming application storefront including how the proceeds will be split and other fees developers will need to pay. In a similar fashion to rival Apple, for instance, the company said that developers will be able to price applications as free, or sell them, starting as low as 99 cents while keeping 70 percent of the revenue generated.


Developers will have to pay an annual registration fee of $99, which will allow them to submit up to five applications during that period, with an additional $99 fee for every app above the limit. The software giant will also provide additional testing and marketing support for that fee, which seems reasonable for getting in front of millions of customers, and will likely even serve as a filter to keep worthless applications at bay.

Finally, in a clear dig at Apple's restrictive policies for their store, Microsoft pledged "complete transparency throughout the application submission process" as well as direct feedback. The store is set to debut with the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 in the fourth quarter of this year.